MR.

R. WISNER'S letter of acceptance of the Old South call was read by the Rev. Mr. Jenks, after service, Sabbath afternoon, January 14, 1821:

JOHNSTOWN N. Y. Decem. 30th 1820. To the Deacons of the Old South Church, and the Standing Committee of the Old South Church and Congregation, appointed by a Vote of said Church and Congregation, at their Parish Meeting, held at their Vestry on the 13th of November last, a Committee to confer with me on the subject of my accepting the invitation of said Society to become their Pastor and Minister,

Gentlemen

If I have been correctly informed, my answer to the above mentioned invitation is to be addressed through you to the Church and

Congregation. I will therefore thank you to communicate to them, the following answer to their invitation.

I am Gentlemen,

With the greatest respect and esteem,
Your obedient and humble servant,

B. B. WISNER.

To the Old South Church and Congregation, of Boston in the State of Massachusetts,

Dearly beloved Brethren,

Your call to me to assume the important and responsible station of Pastor and Minister of your Society, voted at your meeting on the 13th of November last, together with an attested copy of the minutes of said meeting, signed by the Parish Clerk, and also an attested copy of the minutes of the meeting of the Church, on the 7th of November last, signed by the Clerk of said meeting were duly received.

The receipt of these several documents was acknowledged, soon after they came to hand.

After much careful consideration of the subject, myself; after consulting with several judicious and pious friends; and as I trust humbly and frequently imploring Divine direction, I have concluded that it is my duty to accede to, and accept, and I do hereby accede to and accept, the terms and conditions, specified in your Vote on the said 13th of November last, whereby you did elect me your Pastor and Minister, and in your subsequent Vote passed at the same meeting respecting my salary. I do hereby consent to settle among you, and to be ordained as your Pastor and Minister, in the manner usually practised in your Church.

The Presbytery of Albany, under whose care I am, will meet the second week in January. This meeting it will be necessary for me to attend, to obtain from them my dismission and recommendation. It will not, therefore, be in my power to be in Boston, till some time during the third week in January. You may expect me by the third Sabbath in that month. If anything occurs to prevent my arriving in Boston by that time, timely notice shall be given to the Committee, that the Pulpit may be supplied.

And now, my beloved Brethren, permit me to add that I feel deeply feel that the work in which I am about to engage, is a most arduous and responsible one, that I am altogether insufficient for it, and that the grace of God alone can enable me to discharge in any degree aright, the important duties that will devolve upon me. It appears to me, and to those whom I have consulted, that the great Head of the Church calls me to this station; I do therefore trust that he will strengthen and support me in it. But it is in answer to prayer that such a blessing is to be expected. Allow me therefore earnestly

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to request that you will remember me continually before our Prayer hearing God, and intreat him to give me that wisdom, prudence and piety which I so much need :—that I may be led by the Spirit into all truth; that I may be rooted and grounded in the love of the truth of Christ and of the souls of men; that I may come to you in the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel of peace; that we may be mutual helpers in promoting the glory of our Divine Redeemer, and that we may so live together while it shall please God that the interesting relation of Pastor and People shall subsist between us, that we may both have cause to praise him throughout eternity, that in his righteous Providence that relation was constituted.

And now my beloved Brethren, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all for evermore.

I am

With much esteem and affection,
Yours in the best of bonds,

BENJAMIN B. WISNER.

In the course of arrangements for the supply of the pulpit until Mr. Wisner's ordination,1 Deacon Salisbury received the following letter from Professor Woods :

My beloved Sir

ANDOVER, Feb. 9. 1821.

Having been unable to comply with your wishes in regard to Mr. Hoadley and Mr. Goodale, I have requested Mr. Hemmenway to seek an exchange with Mr. Green of Reading, and, if he does not succeed there, with Mr. Emerson, or Mr. Rockwood; that your pulpit may be supplied in that way. It is very gratifying to me that you are disposed to treat Dr. Osgood so respectfully and so kindly.

I give you this notice, that you may feel no anxiety as to the supply of your pulpit.

JOSIAH SALISBURY Esq.

With respects to your good wife,
I am Dear Sir

Your sincere friend and servant,
L. WOODS.2

Mr. Daniel Hemmenway was a member of the Andover class of 1819; he was settled over the church in Wareham, August

On Sabbath afternoon, January 7, 1821, the Rev. William Ward, an associate of Cary and Marshman in the Baptist mission at Serampore, preached to the congregation at the Old South in behalf of the college at that station. During his visit to the United States, he

preached and took collections in the Baptist, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches. He collected in all nearly $10,000, of which one third came from Massachusetts.

2 [We have been favored with a copy of this letter by Professor Salisbury.]

29, 1821.

Loammi Ives Hoadly and William Goodell were of the class of 1820. The former was settled over a church in Worcester, in 1823; the latter became a foreign missionary, and labored in Turkey with great fidelity and success for more than forty years.

Dr. Osgood, of Medford, was one of those moderate men who did what they could to soften the asperities of party at this time, and to keep the peace among Christian brethren. He was evidently appreciated at the Old South, was invited to its pulpit, and sat on the council for the ordination of Mr. Wisner.1

Monday, January 29th 1821.

The Brethren of the church met at the vestry according to notification given in the usual way.

His Honor William Phillips, Senior Deacon, was chosen Moderator; and Deacon J. Salisbury Scribe.

Prayer in behalf of the meeting was made by Mr. Wisner.

Mr. Wisner having declared his assent, in general, to the confession of faith and the Platform of church government agreed upon by the venerable assembly of Elders and Messengers at their several sessions in Cambridge A. D. 1648, and in Boston A. D. 1680 ;- and having also exhibited his dismission and recommendation from the Presbytery of Albany (State of New York) assembled at Amsterdam, January 10 1821, signed by Arthur J. Stanbury, Stated Clerk; - It was Voted, That Mr. Wisner be admitted a member of this church. It was then Voted, that, Deo volente, Wednesday the 21st Day of February next ensuing, be the day for the ordination of Mr. Wisner as pastor of this church.

Mr. Wisner having nominated the following, for members of the council to be convened on this occasion, It was Voted, That they be

1 Dr. Osgood preached Leonard Woods's ordination sermon in 1798. The Rev. Convers Francis wrote of him to Dr. Sprague: "With the Unitarian theology, I do not think he had any sympathy, though the largest part of those with whom he loved best to associate were of that way of thinking. I remember, when I was in College [18111815], he preached once at Dr. Holmes', and in the course of his sermon, having quoted some strong passage of Scripture on the subject of Christ's Divinity, he turned round (as we thought on purpose, although it might have been accidental) towards the place where the President and some Professors were sitting, and

said with energetic emphasis - What will our Socinian brethren say to this? We students used to talk of it as a bold, good hit, though perhaps not quite fair. The truth is, Dr. Osgood always seemed to me one who could not be classed under the named and regular category of any sect. His repugnance to making creeds the condition of the Christian name and character was far greater than his attachment to any creed on his own part; and this seemed to me to express his chief peculiarity as to theological position. His strenuous advocacy of ecclesiastical freedom, you know better than I can tell you."- Sprague's Annals, vol. ii. p. 84.

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invited to attend, Viz. Rev. Dr. Nott, President of Union College; the Revd Professors Alexander and Miller, of Princeton, New Jersey; the Second Presbyterian Church in Albany under the pastoral care of Rev. Mr. Chester; the First Congregational Church in West Springfield under the pastoral care of Rev. Mr. Sprague.

The church went into committee of the whole on the subject of the remaining nominations, and reported as follows, which report was unanimously accepted, Viz. That we invite to be of the Council: The Revd Professors of the Theological Institution at Andover, and the church under their care, together with all those pastors of churches, who have in conjunction with the said professors, aided in supplying our pulpit, since the lamented decease of our late Pastor, the Revd Mr. Huntington; and in addition thereto, the West Church in Boston, under the care of the Rev. Mr. Lowell.

The following is supposed to be a list of the Churches intended in this Vote, Viz.

Mr. D. Huntington, Codman, Storrs, Gile, Dwight, Fay, Holmes, Osgood, Edwards, Oliphant of Beverly, Cornelius, Worcester, Emerson of Salem, Emerson of Reading, Walker, Green of Reading, Rockwood and Jenks.

Voted, That the Deacons be a committee to prepare and send the letters missive, to convene this council.

Voted, That the following persons be a committee to lay before the council, when convened, the proceedings of the church in relation to the election and call of Mr. Wisner; and, also, for regulating, ordering and providing such further measures, as may be judged expedient on this occasion, Viz.

The Deacons, Brothers Whitman, Homes, Coverly, Child, Walley, Cutler and Vose.

Voted, That the scribe communicate to the standing committee the votes passed at this meeting; requesting, that they may be laid before the Church and congregation for their concurrence.

Voted, That the committee of arrangements be instructed, that it is the special desire of this church, that affectionate and respectful invitations to attend on this interesting occasion, and to Dine with the council &c, be given unto the Reverend President and Professors of Harvard College, also, to the members of the Boston association of Ministers, and to the regular Clergy of all other denominations, belonging to Boston.

The meeting was then dissolved.

At a meeting of the Old South Church and Congregation being proprietors of Pews, held according to notification in the usual form, from the Desk, on this 5th day of February A. D. 1821, - The Hon. William Phillips was Chosen moderator.